Everton manager David Moyes is intent on nursing Jack Rodwell through the early stages of his career.

The gifted 18-year-old midfielder became the youngest scorer in the club’s European history with two spectacular goals in the 4-0 victory against Sigma Olomouc.

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Moyes said of Rodwell: “He has great potential and we hope he will go on to fulfil it. We will bring him along in the right way. He has a bit to go yet. We will use him in the games we see fit.”

With Louis Saha also scoring a brace in this Europa League play-off first leg game, Everton already look assured of their place in the group stages. It was just the result they were looking for in the after the drubbing by Arsenal and in the wake of Joleon Lescott’s dropping for a bad attitude.

Rodwell picked up the baton and and Moyes said: “Jack is going to be a good player with really good potential. We will continue to nurture him along as we have done with our young players in the past.

“Jack is excellent in a lot of European football and a lot of international football with his composure on the ball. He controlled parts of the game at different times. What I did not know was he was such a good shooter in scoring these goals.

“I know he strikes a lovely ball but I haven’t really seen him rattle the back of the net like he did.”

Saha got ahead of the goalkeeper after Marouane Fellaini delivered the cross to find the corner with his effort after 34 minutes and Everton added a second six minutes later with a thunderous effort from Rodwell to mark his return to the first team.

Everton stretched their lead in the 54th minute, when Rodwell struck another thunderbolt before Saha added a fourth with a sweet finish after he was set up by Leon Osman.

“It was really good response from the players,” added Moyes. “I am really pleased with the result but we still have a difficult second leg to play. We did not set off particularly well. I thought the opposition did very well. They will feel aggrived they should have had a penalty in the first half. So we had a bit of good fortune.”